


When Life Flashes Before Your Eyes

by SoupySoupTime



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:27:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25424629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoupySoupTime/pseuds/SoupySoupTime
Summary: After a bloody, raging battle, Lance is bleeding out slowly on the field. As he remembers dear moments of his past, he realises what he truly feels towards the Black paladin.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 81





	When Life Flashes Before Your Eyes

He never really took the saying so literally. It was one of those overused phrases that got worn out and lost their meaning over time. Something like, _time heals all wounds_ , or _you gotta play your cards right_. Bunch of bullshit. But not once did Lance even dream that a cliché like _life flashes before your eyes_ , would actually turn out to be very true.

Until today.

Still, even though it's a real, movie-like moment, it's not just quite like he would have imagined. His life, moments of his past and moments he cherished don't exactly _flash_ before his eyes like a sped up video. As warmth of his body abandons him slowly, he feels like he has all the time in the world to remember. So he drags it out, turning one moment into eternity.

He blinks heavily, and inhales as deep as his broken body allows him. The alien sky above him twinkles with all the colors of the rainbow, as it reaches it's second dawn, when it's second Sun began to rise. The dream-like colors and fading Moons somewhat reminded him of his home. It's a weird comparison, considering he isn't even in the same _galaxy_ as his family right now. Hell, this place might be on the other side of reality for all he knows. Either way, he is giving his absolute best to imagine he is just sprawled out on soft grass on one of the meadows back in Cuba. He remembers, long, hot summer nights of sleeping under the stars on his favorite grass field, about a mile south from his home. It would be just him, his dog, and his three closest, childhood friends. They would all bring food of their own and then share it amongst eachother. Lance would bring his old, gray CD player with him and their favorite tracks. They would just play loud music all night, dance barefoot on the grass and sing their lungs out until the Sun would rise.

Lance realised in that moment, that he didn't see them for years. Even though he'd been on Earth and spent a week or so with his family before he had to go back to space, he never got time to see his friends. They all probably know what happened to him, they probably know his story. But he hasn't seen them, and he has no idea where they are right now, or are they even alive. Back then, Lance figured he'd just finish up his work with Voltron and then come back for a bit longer, he'd find them and have a week long sleepover to catch up with them. He couldn't help himself but breathe out a little ironic laugh - never did he think that the last time he had seen them all was actually _the last time_ he would ever see them.

He feels numb, his left arm it stretched out on the ground, still uselessly clutching onto his bayard. Maybe if he felt his fingers he'd let it go, try to get up, try to scream for help. But he feels it, he feels that his voice would betray him. He wouldn't be able to yell, he wouldn't even be able to form words, for he wouldn't know what to say before the end. _Help? Goodbye_ , maybe? And to whom? He is most likely the only person on this field still alive. As the retreat was ordered, the first unit's shuttle has departed with the first load of soldiers. Then, just as the second shuttle got grounded, it was blown up by the barbarian forces that were occupying the planet. No one had even gotten the chance to go through the door before the entire thing got blown to pieces. He was leading the Beta unit. All of these people, people who were fighting their oppressor for centuries on this planet, put their trust into _him_ to lead them. They were ready to die for their goal. Lance is happy to die with them.

And, in a strange way, he is happy he is alone here. There is really no more hope for survival, so why would he want anyone to watch him slowly bleed out, while holding his hand and telling him that everything would be fine?

Well... maybe there is a person or two he'd wish to see one last time. He would love to see his mom. He'd love to see her soft eyes and rest his head on her chest, like he'd often do when he was just yay high. He would love to smell that familiar aroma - spices of all kinds, coffee and milky soap. That would definitely give him peace, and he would be absolutely ready to go. But, if he had to choose, Lance would stay this way. He knew that his mom's heart wouldn't be able to bear seeing him this way. His throat got clogged and tears started welling up in his eyes.

Yes, he was better off alone.

And yet, he can't help but think, if he'd feel any easier about dying if Keith were here, by his side.

Suddenly, at the tought of the Black paladin, his chest tightened even more, suffocating him and labouring his already shallow breathing. And he sobbed.

Keith went through so much, saw so much death. Witnessed his brother figure disappear and die, had him even try to murder him, in a way. To see the face of the person you cherish most washed over with pure, raw _rage_ and hate, and to have to fight them in order to survive... to Lance, it sounds like his worst nightmare. It is incredible that Keith survived all this trauma, lost his parents, had to handle the pressure of leading the irresistable force that is Voltron, and still managed to always be there for him, whenever Lance needed his support. Lance had his weaknesses and breaking points, and Keith managed to meet him at every single one of those, and pick him up from the ground. Being Keith's right hand, and making sure to always be there for him as well, has been the greatest honor Lance had claimed his own. He let these tears that were blurring his vision roll down his cheeks heavily, as he smiled into the infinite skies. Lance remembered how he would always fight with him back at the Garrison, never letting himself admit his burning jealousy over Keith's natural talent until only recently. There is no reason to deny anything anymore really, no reason to lie to himself at all. Who is he gonna fool? Either way, it was about time he'd stopped lying to himself.

The truth is, he had always admired the guy. In the past months after the end of the war, all the way back to when they were only getting used to working as a team. Even back at the Garrison, Lance was always trying to one-up him, trying to get better, stronger, smarter than him and everyone else. But mainly - him. It turns out, Keith has always been his drive. That one thing that kept pushing him through thick and thin, that one thing that made him toughen up when he thought ill of himself and wanted to quit.

_What would Keith do?_

More than once, this kind of thinking saved his life. Out in space, if you don't have a grounded mind, you'll drift away into the cold void that is insanity. You must grow your own roots from the beginning, for your old roots have been ripped out from the ground, now providing you with nothing more than loneliness and nostalgia. For Lance, these new roots, the new grounding that provided him with sanity and a sense of stability - was, apparently, Keith. He is a fighter and a survivor. And the mere thought of the fact that Keith wouldn't know what to do in this situation either, was enough to make Lance sob out loud once more.

It's not that bad, it's okay to Lance really. _Could have been worse_ , he thought. At least like this, he gets to remember.

_Keith._

When he thinks about it, he actually knew Keith his entire life. Ever since he applied to Garrison when he was only six years old, he was used to seeing Keith every day. It wasn't some serious business back then, it was basically kindergarten for future pilots. They'd ride bikes and play piloting games and attend basic lectures, preparing themselves for more complex information and knowledge that were to come with time. They didn't even see the interior of any vehicle until they were ten, didn't sit behind the wheel for real before they were twelve. It was still incredible, to be a part of something so grand, something so elite, as Lance would say back then. Both Veronica and Lance put up a good fight with their mom to be able to serve at the Garrison, and dad was on their side. If he weren't, there was no way in hell Sophia would let them go.

But, _goodness,_ he was so grateful for it right now. He was so... so _happy_ that he got to live this life. To be the paladin of Voltron. To go to the outer space. To meet so many people, make so many friends, solve so many of his internal problems. Save the entirety of existence, with his best friends, shoulder to shoulder. If only... if only he had a minute or two more. Just a moment alone, right now, with Keith. Just so that he can tell him how thankful he is for this friendship. How happy he is that he lived to be friends with Keith fucking Kogane. Lance would tell him to convince his family everything will be okay, to hug Pidge and Hunk for him, and Shiro and Coran as well. After all, he'll see Allura soon enough himself.

His eyes fall closed, and he feels as if he were falling asleep. It's peaceful, soft, and silent. Except, it's actually... not silent anymore. But Lance doesn't know what he is hearing. It's too far away, the gentle rumble that sounds like an engine. He has no strength left in him to lift his head, not even to open his eyes. Not even to focus on the sound, as he falls deeper and deeper into the soft, empty slumber. 

Somewhere, far away, on a body that no longer feels like his own, Lance feels strong arms holding him and lifting him up, while a trembling, but loud voice calls his name desperately, in panic.

_And then, there was nothing._

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a chapter two! Hope you enjoyed guys!
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment <33
> 
> Love ya!


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